MONTREAL, June 28, 2018 (Press Release)
Among the most highly anticipated athletes in Montreal is the 2016 champion Simona Halep. The Romanian native, who is currently World No. 1, recently won her first Grand Slam title at Roland-Garros. Numerous other Grand Slam champions, such as Victoria Azarenka, Angelique Kerber, Petra Kvitova, Garbine Muguruza, Jelena Ostapenko, Maria Sharapova, Sloane Stephens, Venus Williams and Caroline Wozniacki, will all attempt to take home the title.
“The 2018 season has been very interesting on the WTA tour, as we have a happy amalgamation of players: some who are well established in their thirties, but still as threatening as ever, others who have previously been World No. 1 and seem to still be at the top of their game and the young guns who continue to progress and could shake things up,” stated Eugène Lapierre, Tournament Director of the Rogers Cup presented by National Bank. “One thing is certain, all of the elements are in place for us to have another memorable tournament.”
Click here to consult the player list. The 56-player draw will be completed in the coming weeks with the addition of the Wild Cards, notably the three that will be given to Canadian players, and the players that will make it through the qualifying rounds.
A variety of off-court activities
Several activities will complement the show offered by the players. The site will feature a wide range of restaurants, shops, games, performances and promotions designed to create a festive atmosphere and provide an unforgettable experience for fans.
It all kicks-off during the IGA Family Weekend. From Friday, August 3 until Sunday, August 5, fans will be able to access the site for free to attend qualifying matches and player practices as well as take part in a number of activities offered on site. In addition to the face painting, musical guests and family friendly games, there will also be three popular events taking place during the weekend, starting with a celebrity match on the Friday. Local personalities along with a few players will take part in a tie-break ten style tennis tournament. The Knapper Ball Hockey Challenge will be returning as will the soccer match featuring members of the Montreal Impact. These events will take place on the Saturday and Sunday, respectively.
In order to continue its involvement among families, IGA will distribute 1,800 tickets for the IGA Zone during the Family Weekend to many fans across 50 stores in the greater Montreal area. Fans who have picked up these tickets in stores will also receive a $10 gift card per pair of tickets when they visit the Rogers Cup.
Some new additions to the tournament this year include two events centered on the empowerment of women. The first of which is the Fearlessly Girl conference which will take place on Monday, August 6. It will feature a panel of speakers raising awareness about bullying among young women at school. Two of the panelists will be current world no. 10 Madison Keys, ambassador for the program, and mental health advocate Rebecca Marino. The second event is the Successful Women presented by Rogers brunch that will take place on Wednesday, August 8. It is an initiative aimed at bringing together businesswomen in the Montreal area for a morning of networking and a panel discussion. Édith Cloutier, President of Rogers Quebec will be the spokesperson for the event.
Another notable innovation is the Radio Earpieces, which will allow fans to tune in to the broadcaster feed while watching the matches on Centre Court. National Bank customers will be able to pick up a free radio earpiece at the National Bank kiosk on site and listen to either the Sportsnet or TVA Sports broadcaster feed.
For the first time, the Rogers Cup in Montreal will be without plastic straws. In collaboration with the STM and RECYC-QUÉBEC, the tournament has boasted a successful Green Plan for over 10 years. The bar has been raised even higher this year as there will be no straws on site, which are very damaging to the environment as they can’t be recycled in most places and are usually made from plastic which never completely decomposes.
Owned and operated by Tennis Canada, the prestigious Rogers Cup presented by National Bank attracts the biggest stars in tennis year after year. In 2018, the men’s event will take place at the Aviva Centre in Toronto from August 4 to 12, while the women’s event will take place at IGA Stadium in Montreal from August 3 to 12. For tickets and additional information, please visit rogerscup.com or couperogers.com. Sportsnet is the official English broadcaster and TVA Sports is the official French broadcaster of the 2018 Rogers Cup.
